Videos show how Apple Watch saves lives; new update to watchOS 5.1.2 could save more

We’ve passed along stories about people who had their lives saved thanks to the heart rate monitor on their Apple Watch. Now, Apple is creating a series of promotional videos based on similar real life testimonials. Called Real Stories, Apple has released two of these videos today. One, which runs for more than four and a half minutes, reveals the stories from several survivors as they discuss the moments when their Apple Watch alerted them to a problem. Some of these stories are quite harrowing.

The second video focuses on a young man named Michael Jackson (no, not that Michael Jackson) who has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. A notification from his Apple Watch about his heart rate sent him to the ER where it was determined that he had sepsis. And once again, early warning from the timepiece was able to save another life.

In a related note, Apple today released watchOS 5.1.2. The update activates the ECG feature found on the Series 4 version of the watch, which will look for abnormal heart rhythms. New complications that come with the update include Mail, Messages, Home, Maps, Apple News, Find My Friends, Phone, and Remote. To update your watch, go to the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and go to General > Software Update. The battery on the Apple Watch must be charged to at least 50% and the device itself must be on the charger, and within close range to the iPhone.

Check out Apple’s new promos for the Apple Watch. One is at the top of this article, and the other is directly below.